Prince Alfred Park

Prince Alfred Park sits on Chalmers Street in Surry Hills, just south of Central Station on the edge of the Sydney CBD. A much-loved inner-city park, it combines open green space, sporting facilities and walking paths with its standout feature — a popular outdoor swimming pool, set amid landscaped lawns in the heart of the city.

The appeal is that combination of relaxed parkland and great facilities right by the CBD: room to picnic, play and relax, plus the much-loved pool with its distinctive yellow umbrellas, a magnet on warm days. It's a versatile, welcoming green space that's become a genuine asset for the surrounding inner-city suburbs.

With a 4.5 rating from more than 2,200 reviews, it's a firm favourite. The park is free and open, but the pool has its own seasonal hours, entry and arrangements, and it gets busy on warm weekends and over summer, so it's worth checking current details before a special trip — though for a picnic, a play or some time outdoors, you can generally just turn up and enjoy the park.